Date : Fri, 1 Apr 2011
Subject : ESKLEIGH FUNDING BACKFLIP - ANSWERS NEEDEDAuthor : Guy Barnett
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Guy Barnett has accused the State Government of a backflip on funding for the Eskleigh Home at Perth, which is partly funded by the Federal Government.
"Eskleigh was last week told by the Head of the Department that the funding crisis had been solved, only for Minister O'Connor to later pull the rug from underfoot," Senator Barnett said.
"The Federal Government provides 28.9% of disability funding under the Commonwealth-State Disability Funding Agreement.
"I contacted Minister Bill Shorten and Parliamentary Secretary Jan McLucas on these matters when the crisis began. I asked the Federal Government to investigate State Labor's mismanagement and maladministration of the Service Agreement with Eskleigh.
"Senator McLucas said she would follow-up and her office later contacted Eskleigh to say the matter had been resolved to the satisfaction of Minister O'Connor. At that point in time, Eskleigh believed their funding requirements would be met. " But now funding has been cut by Minister O'Conner.
Perhaps she forgot what was agreed the week before? "This Government speaks with a forked tongue. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
"The mismanagement and maladministration by State Labor is hurting those with disabilities and the disability care sector. " Labor and the Greens are all over the place on this issue.
"The State and Federal Labor-Green Governments must provide answers and they can't keep blaming the global financial crisis for their own incompetence," Senator Barnett said.
"Eskleigh was last week told by the Head of the Department that the funding crisis had been solved, only for Minister O'Connor to later pull the rug from underfoot," Senator Barnett said.
"The Federal Government provides 28.9% of disability funding under the Commonwealth-State Disability Funding Agreement.
"I contacted Minister Bill Shorten and Parliamentary Secretary Jan McLucas on these matters when the crisis began. I asked the Federal Government to investigate State Labor's mismanagement and maladministration of the Service Agreement with Eskleigh.
"Senator McLucas said she would follow-up and her office later contacted Eskleigh to say the matter had been resolved to the satisfaction of Minister O'Connor. At that point in time, Eskleigh believed their funding requirements would be met. " But now funding has been cut by Minister O'Conner.
Perhaps she forgot what was agreed the week before? "This Government speaks with a forked tongue. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
"The mismanagement and maladministration by State Labor is hurting those with disabilities and the disability care sector. " Labor and the Greens are all over the place on this issue.
"The State and Federal Labor-Green Governments must provide answers and they can't keep blaming the global financial crisis for their own incompetence," Senator Barnett said.
Authorised by Jonathan Hawkes, Level 2/24 Murray Street, Hobart TAS 7000
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